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27.7.07

Bus interchanges the most littered places in Singapore: survey

SINGAPORE: About 53.7 percent of Singaporeans who were surveyed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) said littering was not a serious problem here.

The study also found that 39.2 percent of the respondents were not concerned about littering and 20.3 percent did not take pride in keeping Singapore litter-free.

In addition to that, 13.6 percent of the respondents thought littering was a socially acceptable behaviour while 8.6 percent said littering would not lead to hygiene problems.

Of those surveyed, 7.5 percent did not think litter was harmful to the environment.

Results of the NEA Littering Behaviour Study, conducted over a period of six months, were released on Friday at the launch of the Litter-Free Bus Services Programme at the Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange.

The programme, which was launched by Minister of State for Transport and Finance Lim Hwee Hua, aims to encourage Singaporeans not to litter.

The NEA study showed that bus interchanges were considered the most littered public places in Singapore.

Besides displaying posters and banners on this programme in 21 bus interchanges and more than 3,650 buses, this litter-free initiative also involves the concerted efforts of stakeholders such as bus operators, commuters, cleaners, bus captains and shop tenants.

Mrs Lim hopes the new programme will remind Singaporeans to take ownership for the cleanliness of their environment.

She said: "From time to time, we need to raise awareness; we need to remind people again that it takes everyone's efforts to make this work and to sustain this on an ongoing basis, because litter will not just disappear by itself. Litter will have to be carefully and properly disposed (of)."